Cigarette making machinery



May 21, 1935. F. F. RUAU CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINERY Filed June 12, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 9%? 4""? M "(M 21, F. F. RUAU CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINERY Filed June 12, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 naw m Patented May 21, 1935 PATENT OFFICE 2,002,045 CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINERY Felix Frederic Ruau, Deptford, London, Application June 12, 1934, Serial No.

England In Great Britain June 21, 1933 11 Claims.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to cigarette making machinery, and refers more particularly to apparatus for selecting some of the cigarettes produced by the machine and feeding them to a weighing apparatus, in which means are provided for measuring the deflection of the weigh-beam or the like, in order that the tobacco feeding rate may be altered if necessary, when the deflection is abnormal, to ensure that cigarettes of constant weight are produced. The devices for measuring the deflection of the weighbeam and altering the tobacco feeding rate, according to the measured deflection of the beam, form no part of the present invention, and will .not be further described.

The object of the invention is to provide means whereby the weight of the cigarettes selected for weighing more nearly represents the average weight of the cigarettes produced than has been possible with the selecting devices hitherto used.

According to the present invention, there is provided apparatus in or for a cigarette making machine, wherein means are provided to select at predetermined intervals, at least one cigarette from the continuous rod line and to deliver it to a testing device (e. g. a weighing apparatus) or to a point at which the selected cigarettes are collated into batches for insertion into the scale pan of a weighing apparatus.

The invention will be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig; 2 in the direction of arrow A, some parts of the apparatus being omitted for the sake of clarity.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic figure showing one disposition of the deflecting selector blades.

Like references refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring to the drawings the means for selecting the cigarettes is shown) of the cigarette making machine, on to a conveyor belt I travelling at right angles to the cigarette rod line 2.

The deflecting apparatus consists of three drums 3, 4 and 5 having deflector blades 6 mounted on their peripheries, and the drums 3 and 4 which are farthest from the cutting apparatus are, in a particular example, each provided with 10 blades. The drum 5 which is used for selecting the cigarettes to be weighed has two blades 1 which are separated from one another by one half of the pitch of the ten equally spaced blades on the other drum as shown in Fig. 4.

The drums 3 and 4 rotate in a clockwise direc- 5 tion when viewed from the end remote from the cigarette cutting apparatus, and the drum 5 may rotate in the same direction but preferably rotates in the opposite direction as shown in Fig. 3.

When the machine is working, the drums 3 and 10 4 are arranged to deflect nine cigarettes on to the belt'per revolution, while the drum 5 is arranged to deflect the remaining two cigarettes of a batch of 20, or if the blades 6 are set to time the apparatus differently, one of the drums 3 or 4 may deflect eight cigarettes, and the other ten cigarettes, whilst the remaining two are again selected by the blades '1.

As seen in Fig. 3, the drum 5 is rotated on the spindle sprocket lldriven from cigarette making machine.

The drums 3 and 4 are mounted on the spindle I6 and are rotated in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the drum 5. The spindle I6 is driven by gearing l8, l9 from the main drive of the machine.

It is to be understood that although the most convenient way of carrying the invention into effect embodies the use of apparatus wherein the move in a direction opposite to movement of the normal deflectors, it is within the scope of the invention to scope of any competent The drum 5 has a shroud 8 extending around its circumference from a point adjacent to the cigarettes as they are carried along the usual conveyor tape 9 which delivers them from the cutting apparatus to the deflectors to the point at which they are removed from the drum and delivered to the weighing apparatus. In the particular instance given here, the shroud 8 extends around the drum 5 from a point at which the cigarettes are deflected from the tape, for a distance of about 200.

At the point where the shroud 8 terminates there is provided a sloping chute l0 forming part of a pocket H in which the cigarettes are collected until the desired number to be weighed, for example 25, are accumulated. 55

cigarettes of the next batch Q The chute i8 is provided with forked ends which pass through grooves in the blades 1 of the drum in order to remove the cigarettes therefrom, and the remaining portion of the pocket M is formed by a pivoted plate 92 which can be operated at intervals by a cam it to open and permit the accumulated cigarettes to fall into the scale pan M of a weighing apparatus. The pivoted plate i2 is then shut, and a weighing operation takes place.

After the weigh beam has come to rest, a ieeler is moved into contact with it to measure the deflection of the beam, and the final position taken up by the feeler is used to determine the amount by which the speed of the tobacco feeding apparatus is regulated.

As stated above, the feeling and regulating mechanisms do not form part of the present invention and are not illustrated in the drawings.

When the weighing and the regulating, if any, has taken place, the scale pan H3 is tilted by a cam it: operated lever, and the weighed cigarettes are discharged on to the belt 9 from which they may be taken by the attendant.

Where tipped cigarettes are being manufactured, it is important to keep the tips of any row all pointing in the same direction, and to ensure this, the blades i on the selector drum 5 may be disposed so that they deflect out of the rod line, two cigarettes, the tips of which lie in the same direction. The blades 6 on the drums 3 and 4 may be suitably spaced to facilitate the arrangement of the blades i.

Since the cigarettes selected have to be carried through about 200 before they are delivered into the pocket ii, there is ample time for the cam it which opens the pivoted plate It to open the pocket and close it again before the first two to be weighed reach the sloping chute.

It will be understood that the particular way of selecting the cigarettes to be weighed is only given by way of example, as any other mechanism, mechanical, or electrical or pneumatic, may be employed for this purpose.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In apparatus for use on a cigarette making machine in which the cigarettes issue in axial alignment from a cut-ofi device on the machine, the combination with deflector elements for delivering the axially moving cigarettes laterally, of a weighing device, a scale pan for the weighing 55 device, and an element movable in timed relationship with said deflecting elements to move an axially moving cigarette laterally into the scale pan.

2. In apparatus for use on a cigarette making 60 machine in which the cigarettes issue in axial alignment iroma cut-oii device on the machine, the combination with deflector elements for delivering the axially moving cigarettes laterally,

of a weighing device, a scale pan for the weighing device, a rotatable drum movable in timed relationship with said deflecting elements, and a blade mounted on said drum for moving an axially moving cigarette laterally into the scale pan.

3. In apparatus for use on a cigarette making machine in which the cigarettes issue in axial alignment from a cut-off device on the machine,

the combination with rotatable deflector elements for delivering the axially moving cigarettes laterally, or" a weighing device, a scale pan for the weighing device, a

drum rotatable in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation of the deflector elements and in timed relationship therewith, and a blade mounted on said drum for moving an axially moving cigarette laterally into the scale pan.

l. In apparatus for use on a cigarette making machine in which the cigarettes issue in axial alignment from a cut-ofi device on the machine, the combination with deflector elements for delivering the axially moving cigarettes laterally, of a weighing device, a scale pan for the weighing device, a rotatable drum movable in timed relationship with said deflecting elements, a blade mounted on said drum for moving an axially moving cigarette laterally, a collecting pocket disposed above the scale pan and intermediate the delivery points of said blade and the scale pan for receiving the laterally moved cigarettes, and a pivoted discharge flap forming a side of the pocket.

5. In apparatus for use on a cigarette making machine in which the cigarettes issue in axial alignment from a cut-ofi device on the machine, the combination with rotatable deflector elements for delivering the axially moving cigarettes laterally, of a weighing device, a scale pan for the weighing device, a drum rotatable in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation of the deflector elements and in timed relationship therewith, a blade mounted on said drum for moving an axially moving cigarette laterally, a collecting pocket disposed above the scale pan and intermediate the delivery point of said blade and the scale pan, and a pivoted discharge flap forming a side of the pocket.

6. In apparatus for use on a cigarette making machine in which the cigarettes issue in axial alignment from a cut-01f device on the machine, the combination with deflector elements for delivering the axially moving cigarettes laterally, of a weighing device, a scale pan for the weighing device, a rotatable drum movable in timed relationship with said deflecting elements, a blade mounted on said drum for moving an axially moving cigarette laterally, a collecting pocket disposed above the scale pan and intermediate the delivery point of pivoted discharge flap forming a side of the pocket, and a cam operated element for engaging and emptying the scale pan at the end of a weighing operation. r

'7. In apparatus for use on a cigarette making machine in which the cigarettes issue in axial alignment from a cut-off device on the machine, the combination with rotatable deflector elements for delivering the axially moving cigarettes laterally, of a weighing device, a scale pan for the weighing device, a drum rotatable in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation of the'deflector elements and in timed relationship therewith, a blade mounted on said drum for moving an axially moving cigarette laterally, a collecting pocket'disposed above the scale pan and intermediate the delivery point of said blade and the scale pan, a'pivoted discharge flap forming a side of the pocket, and a cam operated element for engaging and emptying the scale pan at the end of the'weighing operation.

8. In apparatus for use on a cigarette making machine in which the cigarettes issue in axial alignment from a cut-off device on the machine, the combination with deflector elements for delivering the axially moving cigarettes laterally, of a weighing device, a scale pan for the weighing device, a rotatable drum movable in timed relationship with said deflectingelements, a blade .4 5 saidblade and the scale pan, a-

mounted on said drum for moving an axially moving cigarette laterally, a guide for the cigarettes being so moved, a collecting pocket disposed above the scale pan and intermediate the delivery point of said blade and the scale pan, and a pivoted discharge flap forming a side of the pocket.

9. In apparatus for use on a cigarette making machine in which the cigarettes issue in axial alignment from a cut-oil device on the machine, the combination with rotatable deflector elements for delivering the axially moving cigarettes laterally, of a weighing device, a scale pan for the weighing device, a drum rotatable in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation of the defiector elements and in timed relationship therewith, a blade mounted on said drum for moving an axially moving cigarette laterally, a guide for the cigarettes being so moved, a collecting pocket disposed above the scale pan and intermediate the delivery point of said blade and the scale pan, and a pivoted discharge flap forming a side of the pocket.

10. In apparatus for use on a cigarette making machine in which the cigarettes issue in axial alignment from a cut-off device on the machine, the combination with deflector elements for delivering the axially moving cigarettes laterally, of a weighing device, a scale pan for the weighing device, a rotatable drum movable in timed relationship with said deflecting elements, a blade mounted on said drum for moving an axially moving cigarette laterally, a guide for the cigarettes being so moved, a collecting pocket disposed above the scale pan and intermediate the delivery point of said blade and the scale pan, a pivoted discharge flap forming a side of the pocket, and a cam operated element to engage and empty the scale pan at the end of a weighing operation.

11. In apparatus for use on a cigarette making machine in which the cigarettes issue in axial alignment from a cut-oi? device on the machine, the combination with rotatable deflector elements for delivering the axially moving cigarettes laterally, of a weighing device, a scale pan for the weighing device, a drum rotatable in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation of the defiector elements and in timed relationship therewith, a blade mounted on said drum for moving an axially moving cigarette laterally, a guide for the cigarettes being so moved, a collecting pocket disposed above the scale pan and intermediate the delivery point of said blade and the scale pan, a pivoted discharge flap forming a side of the pocket, and a cam operated element to engage and empty the scale pan at the end of a weighing operation.

FELIX FREDERIC RUAU. 

